Western News

Thank You Marlon King!

On the Sporting Edge

Let me on behalf of most well thinking Jamaican football fans thank former national striker Marlon King for his well thought out and perfectly timed departure from the national senior team.

King's announcement that he would no longer make himself for the Reggae Boyz as we prepare for the Hexagonal round of the CONCACAF

FIFA World Cup Qualifying came a few days before he was due to meet with the Jamaica Football Federation delegation that is in England.

This gap in the schedule should allow head coach Theodore Whitmore, assistant Alfredo Montesso and JFF boss Captain Horace Burrell some more time to spend with players who want to be a part of the team and who we wont be wasting time and energies discussing anti-social behavior.

Regardless of his goal-scoring prowess King's inclusion in the team has become an unwelcomed distraction for every one connected to the programme, everyone except Burrell it seems.

Despite less than subtle hints from the technical staff that they are willing to go on without the player, Burrell appeared hell bent on forcing him on the team and the coaches.

On one hand we hear the coaches saying they have moved on without King only to hear Burrell talking about doors not being closed to anyone, including King.

Well Sunday's announcement was enough to tell us exactly what King thought of Burrell's loyalty.

No mater how influential he may be Burrell's continued interference in the team selection has grown tiresome and it is time he left the team selection to the people who are more qualified than he is.

We should now put our collective energies behind the team and the players who are willing to sacrifice their own egos for the betterment of the team moving forward and hopefully to Brazil in 2014.

We hope that the trip to England will bear fruit and we will get players who can cover the glaring holes in the team as we prepare for what will be tougher games to come between February and October.

Two solid holding midfield players who are not afraid to tackle and have some speed would be good, and two forwards who can finish would be a blessing.